Bergamot Oranges – A Revelation!

A couple of Sundays ago, a fellow Formaggio Kitchen colleague introduced me to Bergamot oranges. Our produce department recently received a batch and I had never seen one before!

Bergamot gives Earl Grey tea its distinctive flavor (the essence is extracted from the skin of the orange). When I sampled one, I was given a small slice to try because it turns out they are more like lemons in terms of their sourness than they are like conventional oranges.

My first reaction upon tasting my slice was, “Boy, this tastes a lot like tea!” Immediately, I felt a little silly because, of course, it’s the other way around – the tea tastes like the orange.

June Taylor’s Bergamot Orange Marmalade just arrived in the shop so this introduction proved to be particularly timely – now I can say that I am familiar with the starting point for her popular preserve. I am also a big fan of sour drinks – from lemonade to the old-fashioned, traditional daiquiris (which are made simply with lime juice, a bit of light rum and a touch of sugar) and the Bergamot orange set my mind racing with all sorts of beverage possibilities! As well, the baker in me thrilled at the idea of a Bergamot orange curd… And, what about a slice in a cup of tea? It’s always fun tasting something new… Invariably, it sets the imagination off in all sorts of new directions!